The prior art is replete with various types of stretchers. However, none of these stretchers were designed to be resistant to the types of chemical and biological warfare agents available today sufficient to be decontaminated when exposed to such severely hazardous material.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,592, discloses a stretcher for allowing decontamination of a person while on the stretcher without having to remove the person from the stretcher. The frame is made from metal or wood tubular poles painted with a chemical resistant paint, and the hand grips, which are inserted into the poles are constructed using nylon 6/6. While this construction will resist moderately hazardous material, more dangerous hazardous materials such as VX nerve gas, and other chemical and biological warfare agents, easily penetrate the painted metal or wood poles, rendering the stretcher useless after carrying its first contaminated person. Additionally, there is no teaching of the handles being constructed in a manner sufficient to be decontaminated on site from potent chemical and biological warfare agents.
British Patent No. 488,504 discloses a litter in which the frame members are constructed of metal tubing closed at the ends so as to be impervious to gas to a higher degree than other litters of the time (1938). Again, today's chemical and biological warfare agents easily penetrate into the metal, highly contaminating the litter and making field decontamination impossible for continued use of the litter. This invention was simply not directed to solving the problem of direct penetration of the litter frame by hazardous materials.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,263,213; 3,417,412; 6,526,611; and 5,572,756 disclose stretchers which may be constructed using a variety of materials such as fiberglass or plastic. However, there is no disclosure of any of the stretchers being constructed from a lightweight composite material resistant to chemical and biological warfare agents so as to be decontaminable, while also being strong enough to support the weight of a person.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stretcher capable of resisting severely hazardous materials such as chemical and biological warfare agents sufficient to allow for on site decontamination of the stretcher while carrying a person so that the stretcher may continue to be used without further contamination to the users.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable stretcher to facilitate transport and storage of the stretcher when not in use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight composite frame for a stretcher which is reinforced to resist bending and twisting when carrying a person.